Feast Days of the Orthodox Church

The Ecclesiastical Calendar begins on September 1st / 14th. The Feast of Christ’s Resurrection, Holy Pascha, is the greatest Feast of the Church and stands in a class by itself. The next in importance are the Twelve Great Feasts of the Church which should be treated in reverence just as the Lord’s Day. Then there are countless other feasts celebrated throughout the year. These feasts can be found in the Synaxarion, an ordered listing of the Saints of the Orthodox Church according to the Ecclesiastical Calendar.

Twelve Great Feast Days of the Church Year

September 8 / 21 – Nativity of the Theotokos
September 14 / 27 – Elevation of the Holy Cross
November 21 / Dec. 4- Presentation of the Theotokos
December 25 / Jan. 7- Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas)
January 6 / 19- Theopany / (The Baptism of Christ)
February 2 / 15 – Presentation of the Lord
March 25 / April 7- Annunciation
Sunday before Pascha- Palm Sunday
Forty Days after Pascha – Ascension of the Lord
Fifty Days after Pascha – Pentecost
August 6 / 19 – Transfiguration of our Lord
August 15 / 28 – Dormition of the Theotokos

Other Prominent Feast Days of the Church Year

October 1 / 14 – Protecting Veil of the Theotokos
November 8 / 21 Archangel Michael and all the Heavenly Hosts
December 6 / 19 St. Nicholas
January 1 / 14 – Circumcision of Christ & St. Basil
January 30 / 12 Three holy Hiearchs
June 24 / July 7- Nativity of St. John the Baptist
June 29 / July 12- Sts. Peter & Paul
August 29 / Sept. 11- Beheading of St. John the Baptist